


Unknown Variables

by DarthLivion (DistantShenanigans)



Series: Variables [1]
Category: Ashlesha (Awaken the Stars series), Awaken the Stars Series - Jer Keene
Genre: Asexual Character, Gen, Implied/Referenced Alcohol Abuse/Alcoholism, Minor Injuries, Slightly Serious Injuries, mentioned OC death, mentioned Stab Wounds
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2016-12-02
Updated: 2016-12-02
Packaged: 2018-09-06 02:13:26
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,696
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/8730829
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/DistantShenanigans/pseuds/DarthLivion
Summary: In which Xāwuṭh Bùi has a son, who meets the family in less than ideal circumstances.





	

**Author's Note:**

  * For [flamethrower](https://archiveofourown.org/users/flamethrower/gifts).



> I own Tua, but everyone else belongs to flamethrower. I'm just diving into this beautiful kiddy pool because I had a need and it was probably a mistake but I GIVE NO FUHKS. ~~I'm sorry I had to~~

It wasn't that Xāwuṭh was never going to tell them, but it was hard to say why he was relieved at staying two extra days at home, instead of leaving in the original time frame. Django had frowned, as if he knew something was up, but Eric had just squeezed his hand and went off with Ella and Eric back to bed.

Watching his father head to the beach outside, Xāwuṭh decided that he should tell his father, at least, about his fifteen year old son that was out on a fishing trip. Eric had said that Tua had left for the trip an hour before they docked, and gods did Xāwuṭh worry. Tua had begged to still go on the trip, his tiny son claiming that it wasn't fair that just because his uncles screwed up that he had to give up his first fishing trip with friends.

He ended up not telling his father that night. He still felt a well of guilt in his stomach for it.

It was when he and Eric were sitting on the beach the next night that Eric said it.

“You know it was a bad idea letting him go on that trip.” The younger man had said. Xāwuṭh sighed at that.

“Yeah, I know...”

“So why did you?”

“... He's suffered enough because of our family.” He admitted. While he had had Tua with him for about about a month or two before Eric showed up, he had never told Eric exactly what happened.

“What?” Eric looked at him, confusion written on his face. The eldest sighed again.

“Tua's mom was great. She was a wonderful person and while we didn't go well together, she was a damn good mom. I didn't know about Tua, though. She refused to let him have a parent that spent most of the year on a goddamn boat, and I don't blame her.” Moana had been a wonderful woman, and while she loved taking Tua out to sea, she never took him out for more than a day, at most, according to Tua. The Māori woman had been kind and full of smiles, but she had bad, bad taste in men. Tua's step father wasn't an awful man, granted, but he had been a functioning alcoholic before her death. After her death? Well, Xāwuṭh found out he had a kid because of Tua's grandmother tracking him down while he was docked on a beach in New Zealand, and threatening his balls if he didn't take Tua away from the drunk bastard that was his step-father.

Telling Eric all of this made the wave of guilt in his stomach settle a bit, but Eric wasn't the only one he should be telling, and Xāwuṭh knew it.

“... You need to tell Dad. Did you call Tua's grandmother already?” Eric asked. Xāwuṭh nodded.

“I did. She wasn't thrilled, but she always knew it was possible when I told her, after agreeing to take Tua.” He replied, “His step-dad's getting the hell outta dodge, too.”

“Who's step-dad?” The two turned, finding Nari standing behind them, blinking sleep from her eyes.

“You should be in bed, Squirt.” Xāwuṭh frowned.

“I was, but I had a bad dream and I wanted to see Uncle Eric.” Ah, one of those dreams.

“Nari! There you are!” Wesley cried, running over to the three of them. “Don't leave the boat without an adult, sweetheart. Especially not at night.”

“But Uncle Wesley, Uncle Wolf and Uncle Eric were talking about someone's step-dad!” Nari said, “I want to know whose!” Wesley raised an eyebrow, before something out at sea caught his attention, and he frowned. Xāwuṭh turned, and saw what he did. Someone swimming to shore, with trouble. Xāwuṭh realized he hadn't been feeling guilt, but that damned instinct that something was _wrong_ , and he felt sick.

“Tua!” He cried, just as Eric told Wesley, “Get Kai.”

He reached his son in under a minute, and Tua wrapped his arms around him.

“D-Dad,” Tua coughed, water going everywhere. There was a nasty cut on his son's face, and he knew it would scar his son's beautiful face for the rest of his life. There was a lot more blood coming from a wound he couldn't see, though, and he pulled the boy closer, before heading for shore.

“I've got you, Tua.” He promised, “Just hang on. Your Uncle Kai will take care of you.” Tua coughed as water hit his face, but Xāwuṭh didn't stop. The moment he could stand, he lifted Tua into his arms bridal style, and ran as fast as he could to shore.

Xāwuṭh finally understood why his father was always tense when he heard one of his children were hurt.

He made it to shore and, hearing Eric say Kai was inside, made a beeline for his home. He settled Tua on to his cot, brushing the hair from his son's face.

“What happened?” Kai whispered, just as Khodī̂ asked, “Who is he?” He glanced back at his baby brother, finding Kai beginning to clean the wound Xāwuṭh knew was there, but hadn't seen.

“Tua, sweetheart, what happened?” Xāwuṭh asked, registering Kai's question.

“Th-they saw the news...” Tua whimpered, trying to squirm away from Kai. “Dad-”

“ _Dad_?” His brothers and sister asked, eyes wide.

“Yes, _Dad_ , now shut up!” Eric hissed, “Tua, come on, Squirt, stay still so Kai can help you. Just focus on telling us what happened.”

“They- they didn't want a-a terrorist a-around an-and,” Tua said, stilling as Sorrow helped hold him down.

“It's a stab wound.” Kai said, “I can take a guess that they stabbed you?”

“Y-yes.” Tua whimpered, “A-after be-beating me u-up.” Kai began stitching Tua's stab wound up, and that's when Tua asked the question Xāwuṭh never wanted to hear his son ask. “A-am I g-gonna die?”

“No!” Kai said, horrified, as Xāwuṭh felt sick. “No, you won't die. There's nothing broken and the wound isn't too deep.”

“K-kay... 'cause I-I don't w-wanna die...” Tua flinched as Rex knelt down and began cleaning the cut on his face.

“That's good, because you aren't dying today.” Rex promised. Tua let out another whimper, and Xāwuṭh only realized he was still petting at his son when Eric grabbed his hand.

“Tua, sweetheart, your granddad wants to talk to your dad, but I'll be right here until he gets back, okay?” It was a silent order, and Xāwuṭh frowned.

“No!” Tua whimpered.

“Not now, but once you fall asleep.” Eric promised, “Uncle Kai's going to give you something to help you sleep.” Tua sniffled, flinching a bit as Rex began to stitch up his forehead.

“I-I won't be alone?”

“No, you won't alone.” Eric promised, “We're right here.” Eric began to stroke Tua's hair as Xāwuṭh had been, and seeing Kai inject the knock-out juice, Xāwuṭh knew he'd be talking to his father in less than five minutes. When Tua's eyes closed, Xāwuṭh still didn't move. It wasn't until Tua's breathing evened out that he let himself be tugged up by Django. They were safely inside the spare bedroom, Tua's bedroom actually, before Django pulled him into a hug. He couldn't stop himself from breaking down, crying. His worst fear had been realized, and he knew his father knew. His father understood. His father had his own fear realized when they were all told Eric was dead, and then with Khodī̂ being shot in the head in front of them.

When he calmed down, his father didn't move to let him go, so they stood like that, with Xāwuṭh clinging to his father like he was still a child who had had an awful nightmare.

“Talk to me.” Django said, “Tell me what happened.”

“Was on a trip in New Zealand.” He replied, “Met his mom. We talked and drank, and eventually she said that I wouldn't know if I liked sex if I hadn't had any. I was drunk enough to go for it.” Django chuckled at that.

“And?”

“I didn't find out about him until a month or two before Eric jumped me.” Xāwuṭh admitted, “I found out because his grandmother found me, said I had to take him from his drunk, grieving, bastard of a step-father. Tua didn't know until then, either. So I took him in. Eric scared him so much he wet himself, when he jumped me back in 2013.”

“What?”

“Tua was used to his step-dad shaking him, threatening him. He was never hit, but he was shook and threatened. He'd seen someone jump his step-dad over bullshit, so seeing me get jumped scared him. He'd been on his way to the head when it happened. Eric apologized, but he didn't know why he was so frightened. Not until tonight.”

“Why didn't you tell me?” Django asked.

“I was planning on it, but then Eric showed up. I didn't want to put Tua in more danger.” It was a shitty excuse, but he had honestly thought it had been the best route.

“... You wanted to tell me last night, didn't you?” Django asked. Xāwuṭh nodded, and his father sighed, kissing his head.

“No more secrets, got it?” Xāwuṭh laughed weakly, and nodded.

“Promise.” They left the room, and Xāwuṭh saw that Eric was still sitting with Tua, and Ella and Rex were with him. So were Nari and her parents.

“I sent Kai to bed. Told him someone'd get him if Tua spiked a fever.” Eric said. Xāwuṭh nodded.

“You can go to bed.” Xāwuṭh told the group.

“Are you sure?” Rex asked, frowning. Xāwuṭh nodded.

“I'm not going to sleep for a while.” He wasn't stupid, and he knew that they all knew he meant 'tonight' when he said 'for a while'. Still, they all headed off to their arranged sleeping spaces, and Xāwuṭh was left with his father and sleeping son for company.

Even as he knew his father was just pretending to be asleep, Xāwuṭh didn't stop himself from singing a soft lullaby to his son. The same lullaby that his father had sung to all of his kids when they were children.

He felt immensely better when he saw Tua smile in his sleep.

 


End file.
